Switch lock mechanism

ABSTRACT

A locking assembly for locking a switch is provided. According to a preferred embodiment, a locking member is connected to a support member having a plurality of first grooves, a lower receiving element, a retaining tab, a resilient member and a fastening element. Preferably, the lower receiving element includes a securing socket element having at least a second groove and a third groove. According to a preferred embodiment, the fastening element preferably secures the locking member, the lower receiving element, and the resilient member with a panel to form a locking assembly that automatically locks the switch when the switch is in a selected position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/090,123 filed Dec. 10, 2014.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is related in general to locking devices and, inparticular, to a locking assembly that allows secure operation ofswitches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A switch is a manually operated electromechanical device with one ormore sets of electrical contacts which are connected to externalcircuits. In operation, each set of contacts can be in one of twostates: either closed (allowing electricity to flow between thecontacts) or open (preventing electricity from flowing between thecontacts). A rocker switch consists of a central bezel which rocks backand forth in response to pressure to open and close a circuit. Rockerswitches are commonly used as light switches and they can be used in avariety of other appliances and surge protectors. Rocker switches aretypically designed to be easily manipulated between an OFF position andan ON position. Due to the ease of manipulating a rocker switch, thereare chances of such switches inadvertently remaining in the ON positionand causing damage, shock or other injury to a user or connectedapparatus.

A number of different locking mechanisms have been developed that areemployed to protect users from hazardous situations. One such lockingmechanism includes a rocker switch with a safety pin which can be slidforward to lock the rocker switch to prevent any unexpected oraccidental depression of the switch. In these type of devices, thesafety pin can generally be retracted to unlock the rocker switch. Inuse, these types of locking mechanisms are difficult to handle and theydo not fully protect against the accidental tripping of the switch.

Another existing locking mechanism includes a switch lockout and rockerswitch design that includes a switch cover, a rocker plate, a base and alockout slide. In these designs, the rocker plate usually has oppositefirst and second ends, and is pivotally mounted to the cover. In thisdesign, the rocker plate is allowed to pivot between oppositely tiltedfirst and second tilted positions. To function, the slide in this designis selectively translatable relative to the base, being slidably mountedon the base for translation of the slide in a direction perpendicular tothe pivot axis so as to slide relative to the rocker plate between afirst lockout position and second lockout position. The disadvantage ofthis design is that the switch lockout has a complex construction.Additionally, this complex mechanism makes it difficult for a user toslide the rocker switch between the first lockout position and a secondlockout position.

Based on the foregoing, there is a need for an improved lockingmechanism that would automatically lock a switch when the switch is inan ON position. Such a locking mechanism would be easy to handle andwould prevent the switch from being accidentally turned on. Such amechanism would further allow the user to easily change the switch froman ON position to an OFF position and to lock the switch. Further, themechanism would allow the user to lock the switch by sliding over theswitch and unlock the switch by retracting back from the switch.Finally, the locking mechanism would be operable with a single hand andwould protect the user from any hazardous situation. The presentinvention overcomes prior art shortcomings by accomplishing thesecritical objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

To minimize the limitations found in the prior art, and to minimizeother limitations that will be apparent upon the reading of thespecification, the preferred embodiment of the present inventionprovides a locking assembly which allows secure operation of switches.

According to a preferred embodiment, a locking assembly is providedwhich includes: a locking member connected to a support member, a lowerreceiving element, a retaining tab, a resilient member having a firstend and a second end, and a fastening element. Preferably, the lockingmember has a fixed end and a movable end. The fixed end of the lockingmember is preferably connected to the support member and the movable endis preferably cantilevered with minimal clearance to slide over theswitch when the switch is in an OFF position.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the support member maypreferably include one or more projections. Further, the lower receivingelement may preferably further include: a securing socket element whichincludes one or more receiving grooves; and a spring groove. In use, theprojection(s) in the support member may preferably engage with theretaining groove(s) in the securing socket element to secure the lockingmember and to apply force to the locking member. Preferably, the lockingmember via its attached support member is further secured to the lowerreceiving element using a fastener.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the movable end of the locking member preferably slides overthe switch when the switch is in the OFF position thereby locking theassembly in the OFF position. Preferably, the switch cannot be activatedto an ON position until the locking member is rotated out of its lockingposition.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the locking mechanism preferably requires the user to applypressure to the locking member to move the locking member away from therocker member and to thereby turn the switch ON. Preferably, thispressure is transferred and stored in the resilient member. Conversely,when the switch is turned OFF, the pressure on the resilient member ispreferably released thereby automatically sliding the locking memberover the switch and locking the switch without any additional operation.

These and other advantages and features of the present invention aredescribed with specificity so as to make the present inventionunderstandable to one of ordinary skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale inorder to enhance their clarity and to improve the understanding of thevarious elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elementsthat are known to be common and well understood to those in the industryare not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the variousembodiments of the invention. Thus, it should be understood that thedrawings are generalized in form in the interest of clarity andconciseness.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a locking assembly including a switch anda panel in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2A is a top perspective view of the locking assembly in use whenthe switch is in the OFF position in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a top perspective view of the locking assembly in use whenthe switch is in the ON position is accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a bottom perspective view of the locking assembly when theswitch is in the OFF position in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a bottom perspective view of the locking assembly when theswitch is in the ON position in accordance with the preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a top view of the locking assembly in a LOCKED position inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a top view of the locking assembly in an OPEN position inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a bottom view of the locking assembly when the switch is inthe OFF position in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the locking assembly when the switch is inthe ON position in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments andapplication of the present invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand changes may be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.However, any single inventive feature may not address any of theproblems discussed above or only address one of the problems discussedabove. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not befully addressed by any of the features described below.

With reference now to FIG. 1, an exploded view of a locking assembly 100including a switch 130 and a panel 134 will now be discussed. As shownin FIG. 1, the switch 130 with which the locking assembly 100 of thepresent invention is associated is preferably mounted in the panel 134.In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the switch 130 cangenerally be oval or rectangular in shape and include a rocker member136 for turning the switch 130 ON and OFF. The locking assembly 100 maybe constructed in such a way as to work with almost any type of rockerswitch.

The locking assembly 100 for locking the switch 130 preferably includesa locking member 102 connected to a support member 108, a lowerreceiving element 112, a retaining tab 126, a resilient member 120having a first end 122 and a second end 124 and a fastening element 128.

As shown, the locking member 102 is preferably substantially L shapedwith a fixed end 104 and a movable end 106. According to a preferredembodiment, the fixed end 104 is preferably thicker than the movable end106 such that the lower surface of the movable end is further from thesurface of the panel 134 when the locking member is positioned above thepanel 134. Preferably, the difference between the thickness of the fixedend 104 and the thickness of the movable end 106 is sufficient to allowthe movable end 106 to be cantilevered to slide over a portion of theswitch 130 when the switch 130 is in the OFF position without allowingthe fixed end 104 to do the same.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the fixed end 104 of the locking member 102is preferably fixedly connected to the support member 108. According toa preferred embodiment, the fixed end 104 and the support member 108 maybe two different portions of a single molded piece or may be twoindependent pieces which are fixed or glued together. The support member108 may generally be cylindrical in shape and may include one or moreprojections 110. Preferably, the support member 108 is adaptable to aslide through a hole 132 of the panel 134 and attach with the lowerreceiving element 112. The support member 108 preferably furtherincludes a screw hole (not shown) or the like to receive a fasteningelement 128. The fastening element 128 preferably extends through thelower receiving element 112, the support member 108 and into the fixedend 104 of the locking member 102 so that the group of elements aresecured to the panel 134.

According to a preferred embodiment, the receiving element 112 and thelocking member 102 are mechanically engaged with resilient member 120such that the spring (or other mechanism of the resilient member 120)applies and maintains a force which pushes or biases the movable end 106of the locking member 102 in the direction of the rocker member 136.Preferably, the force applied by the resilient member 120 is a torsionforce created by a torsion spring or the like. According to a furtherpreferred embodiment, the resilient member 120 is a helical torsionspring which applies sideways forces (bending moments) to its ends tocreate torsion.

As discussed further below, the resilient member 120 preferably includesa first end 122 which applies sideways forces to the retaining tab 126and a second end 124 which applies sideways forces to the spring groove118 of the lower receiving element 112. In response to the force appliedto the spring groove 118, the lower receiving element 112 preferablytranslates the sideways force through the support member 108 to thelocking member 102 to give a pivotal motion to the locking member 102.The pivotal motion of the locking member 102 in turn preferably causesthe movable end 106 of the locking member 102 to rotate and slide overthe switch 130 thus securing the switch in an OFF position.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the lower receiving element112 is preferably positioned below the panel 134 such that the securingsocket element 114 receives and attaches to the support member 108connected with the locking member 102. The lower receiving element 112preferably includes a securing socket element 114 having at least one ormore receiving grooves 116. Preferably, the receiving grooves 116 on thelower receiving element 112 are adapted to receive the projection(s) 110on the support member 108. Further, the locking member 102 with thesupport member 108 is preferably attached to the lower receiving element112 by the fastening element 128 from the bottom of the panel 134.According to a further preferred embodiment, the fastening element 128may be a screw, pin or the like.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, two top perspective views of anexemplary locking assembly are provided. In FIG. 2A, the lockingassembly is shown with the switch 130 in an OFF position. In FIG. 2B,the locking assembly is shown with the switch 130 in an ON position. Asillustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the switch 130 is OFF, the movableend 106 of the locking member 102 is preferably cantilevered over thepart of the rocker member 106 of the switch 130 which is in the downwardposition as illustrated in FIG. 2A. Preferably, the switch 130 cannot beactivated to the ON position until the locking member 102 is rotatedaway from the rocker member 136. To accomplish this, the user needs toovercome a slight pressure developed by the resilient member 120 thatholds the locking member 102 of the lock assembly 100 securelypositioned over the rocker member 136, and rotate it out away from therocker member 136. When the switch 130 is turned ON, the portion of therocker member 136 adjacent to the movable end 106 of the locking member102 is in a raised, upward position and the locking member 102 ispreferably of sufficient thickness so that it will not extend over therocker member 136 to restrict its operation as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a bottom perspective view of the lockingassembly 100 with the switch 130 in the OFF position and ON positionrespectively in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the switch 130 is OFF, the firstand second ends 122, 124 of the resilient member 120 provide torsionalforce via the retaining tab 126 and the spring groove 118 to bias thelower receiving element 112 so that the attached movable end 106 (shownin FIG. 2A) of the locking member 102 is cantilevered over the part ofthe rocker member 136 of the switch 130 which is in the downwardposition (as illustrated in FIG. 2A).

Referring now to FIG. 3B, when the switch 130 is in the ON position, thefirst and second ends 122, 124 of the resilient member 120 providetorsional force via the retaining tab 126 and the spring groove 118 tobias the lower receiving element 112 so that the movable end 106 (shownin FIG. 2B) of the locking member 102 is against the raised side of therocker member 136 (as illustrated in FIG. 2B).

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate the top views of the locking assembly 100 in theLOCKED and OPEN positions respectively in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the LOCKEDposition, the movable end 106 of the locking member 102 is cantileveredover the part of the rocker member 136 of the switch 130 which is in thedownward position. In the OPEN position, the movable end 106 of thelocking member 102 is moved away from the rocker member 136 of theswitch 130.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the bottom views of the locking assembly 100in the LOCKED and OPEN position respectively in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the switch130 can be turned OFF without any activation of the locking assembly100. When the switch 130 is turned OFF, the rocker member 136 is lowereddownward eliminating the interference of the locking member 102 with therocker member 136. The pressure on the resilient member 120 isautomatically swiveled over the rocker member 136 and locks the switch130 again in the OFF position.

As shown in FIG. 5A, when the switch 130 is OFF, the first and secondends 122, 124 of the resilient member 120 (not shown) provide torsionalforce via the retaining tab 126 and the spring groove 118 (not shown) tobias the lower receiving element 112 so that attached movable end 106(shown in FIG. 2A) of the locking member 102 is cantilevered over thepart of the rocker member 136 of the switch 130 which is in the downwardposition (as illustrated in FIG. 2A).

Referring now to FIG. 5B, when the switch 130 is in the ON position, thefirst and second ends 122, 124 of the resilient member 120 (not shown)provide torsional force via the retaining tab 126 and the spring groove118 (not shown) to bias the lower receiving element 112 so that themovable end 106 (shown in FIG. 2B) of the locking member 102 is securedagainst the raised side of the rocker member 136 (as illustrated in FIG.2B).

As detailed above, the locking assembly 100 of the present inventionprovides a locking mechanism for switches. The locking assembly 100compels the user to perform a secondary operation to turn ON the switch130 thereby providing safety to the user and the appliances connectedacross the switch 130. When the switch 130 is turned OFF, the lockingassembly 100 preferably automatically resets to the LOCK positionwithout any additional operation. The person skilled in the art willthus understand that the locking assembly 100 of the present disclosurecan be used with various switches.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has been resented for the purpose of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications andvariation are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intendedthat the scope of the present invention not be limited by this detaileddescription, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A locking assembly for locking a switch attachedto a panel having at least a first hole for allowing the switch toextend through the panel and a second hole, further wherein the switchis a rocker switch having a rocker member which is movable between an ONposition and an OFF position, wherein the locking assembly comprises: alocking member, wherein the locking member comprises a first section anda second section; wherein the first section is at a first height abovethe surface of the panel and the second section is at a second heightabove the surface of the panel; wherein the second height is greaterthan the first height; further wherein the second section iscantilevered over the rocker member when the switch is in an OFFposition; further wherein the second section is not cantilevered overthe rocker member when the switch is in an ON position; a supportmember, wherein the support member is attached to the locking member ata substantially perpendicular angle; further wherein support memberpasses through the second hole in the panel; further wherein the supportmember further comprises at least one projection; a lower receivingelement, wherein the lower receiving element comprises: a securingsocket comprised of at least one receiving groove; wherein the lowerreceiving element is located below the panel; further wherein thesecuring socket is configured to receive the supporting member; furtherwherein the at least one projection of the supporting member is insertedwithin the receiving groove of the lower receiving element; furtherwherein the lower receiving element preferably further includes at leasta retaining tab and a spring groove; a resilient member, wherein theresilient member comprises a center portion, a first end and a secondend; wherein the securing socket passes through the center portion ofthe resilient member; further wherein the first end of the resilientmember provides a sideways force to the retaining tab; further whereinthe second end of the resilient member is located within the springgroove of the lower receiving element; and a fastening element, whereinthe fastening element is inserted through the lower receiving elementand into the support member thereby securing the lower receiving elementto the support member; wherein the resilient member is positionedbetween the lower receiving element and the support member; wherein,when the switch is in the OFF position, the first and second ends of theresilient member provide a torsional force via the retaining tab and thespring groove to the lower receiving element so that the attachedmovable end of the locking member is cantilevered over the rockermember.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support member iscylindrical.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the resilient memberis a torsion spring.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fasteningelement is a screw.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fasteningelement is a pin.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resilientmember is a helical torsion spring.